Abbreviations of Bible Versions
Published 5 July 2010; Revised 27 March 2023
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In order to emphasize the Hebraic and Jewish nature of
Scripture I use the terms Tanakh (Old Testament) and
Besekh
(New Testament).
Most versions can be accessed
on the Internet. (BibleGateway.com;
BibleHub.com;
Bible-Researcher.com;
BibleStudyTools.com; StudyLight.org)
Contents
The Earliest Bibles
Greek Texts of
the Besekh
Early Christian (English) Versions
(Public Domain)
Hebrew Versions of the Besekh
Modern Christian (English)
Versions of the Aramaic Bible (Peshitta)
Modern Christian (English)
Versions
Modern Messianic Jewish (English)
Versions
Modern Non-Messianic Jewish
(English) Versions
The Earliest Bibles
DSS |
Dead Sea Scrolls,
remains of an
ancient Jewish library, written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The
library includes Hebrew Bible manuscripts, as well as Apocrypha and
other Jewish literature of the period.
(2nd cent. B.C. - 1st cent. A.D.).
English translation:
The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New
Translation. Rev.
ed. Trans. Michael Wise, Martin Abegg Jr. and Edward Cook. HarperOne, 2005. |
LXX |
Septuagint: the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible,
begun by 72 Jewish scribes in early 3rd century B.C. and in general use
by the mid-2nd century B.C. The final version included the Apocrypha.
ABP:
The Apostolic Bible Polyglot, Charles Van der Pool
(2006). An interlinear of the
Greek Tanakh (no Apocrypha), with English translation.
Download.
CATSS:
Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagint Study,
prepared by the Center for Computer Analysis of Texts, University of
Pennsylvania (1995, 2004); available at
Unbound Bible.
Elpenor: Bilingual LXX
with English translation of L.C.L. Brenton (1851)
LXX2012: Septuagint in American English 2012 (1885, 2012),
eBible.org.
NETS: New English Translation of the Septuagint (2009)
Rahlfs' LXX: Alfred Rahlf, Septuaginta: id est Vetus Testamentum
Graece iuxta LXX. Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1935.
Swete's LXX: H.B.
Swete, The Old Testament in Greek According to the Septuagint.
Cambridge, 1909-1922. |
MT |
Masoretic Text
(the traditional text of the Hebrew Bible, which may be dated
to Rabbi Akiva's efforts to standardize the Hebrew canon in the early
2nd century A.D. Extant MSS only date to the 10th cent. A.D.) |
S |
Syriac
(the Bible in Syrian Aramaic; the Tanakh was first translated by Jews,
probably Messianic Jews, in the late 1st century to early 2nd century,
and the Besekh by Christians
in the late 2nd century. |
T |
Targums,
Aramaic translation of the Tanakh with interpretative comments (Extant
MSS dated to 70-135 A.D., although such translation existed in an oral
form a long time before that, which Jewish authorities date to the time
of Ezra.)
Online with English translation. |
V or Vul |
Jerome,
Biblica Sacra Vulgata
(the Latin version of the Bible, A.D. 405) |
Greek Texts of the Besekh
TR |
Textus Receptus
("Received Text", 1633 ed. of Erasmus' Greek text of 1516).
This Greek text is the basis for the KJV.
Online (1894 ed.) |
WH-Text |
The
New Testament in Greek, B.F. Westcott & F.J.A. Hort (1881;
incorporated reading of newly discovered early manuscripts)
Online |
Maj-Text,
M-Text |
Majority Text
(AKA Byzantine Text;
consists of the largest number of surviving manuscripts, though not the
oldest.)
NKJV uses the abbreviation M-Text. |
NA21—28 |
Novum
Testamentum Graece.
ed. Eberhard
Nestle, Erwin Nestle, Kurt Aland, Matthew Black, Bruce Metzger, and
Allen Wikgren. American Bible Society and the
British and Foreign Bible Society. (NA1,
1898; NA13, 1927; NA21, 1952; NA25, 1963;
NA26, 1975;
NA27, 1993;
NA28,
2012). This
Greek text incorporates the reading of the earliest manuscripts and is
generally followed by modern Bible versions. The differences between
editions are largely the textual apparatus added listing variant
readings of interest to translators and Greek New Testament scholars. |
UBS1—5 |
The Greek New
Testament.
ed. Kurt Aland,
Matthew Black,
Bruce Metzger, et. al. United Bible Societies. (UBS1, 1966; UBS2, 1968;
UBS3, 1975; UBS4, 1993; UBS5, 2014;
UBS3 and UBS4 correspond to NA26;
UBS5 corresponds to NA28.) |
NU-Text |
Abbreviation used in
the New King James Version to denote the combined reading of the
Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (N) and the United Bible
Societies' Greek New Testament (U). |
Early Christian (English) Versions (Public Domain) (Online)
AV; KJV |
King James Version, known in
Britain as the Authorized Version (1611; revised 1769; based on the TR). |
Anderson |
H.T. Anderson (1812-1872),
The New Testament
Translated from the Original Greek
(1864; Public Domain). |
Bishop |
The Bishop's Bible
(1568). |
Coverdale |
Miles Coverdale,
Coverdale Bible (1535). |
Darby, DBY |
J.N.
Darby,
Darby
Bible (1890;
Public Domain). |
DRA/DRB |
Douay-Rheims
Bible,
American Edition (1899; Public Domain). [Catholic] |
GNV |
The Geneva Bible
(1587). |
Mace |
Daniel Mace, New Testament in Greek and English (1729). |
RV or
BRV |
Revised Version,
Oxford University
Press (1881-1885). [A British revision of the KJV] |
Tyndale |
William Tyndale, Tyndale New Testament (1526). |
WBT |
Noah Webster, Webster's Bible Translation (1833), revision of the KJV. [Original title:
The Holy Bible,
Containing the Old and New Testaments, in the Common Version, With
Amendments of the Language] |
Wesley |
John Wesley,
The New Testament
(1790). |
WYC |
John Wycliffe, Wycliffe Bible (1395,
translated from the Latin). |
Hebrew
Versions of the Besekh
BSI-NT |
Ha'Brit Ha'Chadashah
[New Covenant]: Tirgum Chadash.
[New Translation]. Bible Society in Israel, 1991.
Online.
(Modern Hebrew) |
Delitzsch |
Franz Delitzsch
(1813-1890), Hebrew New Testament. Leipzig, 1877.
Online. (Biblical Hebrew) |
DHE |
Franz
Delitzsch (1813-1890), The Delitzsch Hebrew-English Gospels. Vine
of David, 2011. [English translation by the Messianic Jewish
publisher] |
HEB |
Hebrew-English
Bible.
The Bible Society in Israel and the Israel Association for the
Dissemination of Biblical Writings, 1996. (Modern Hebrew with English
NKJV) |
Margoliouth |
Ezekiel Margoliouth, Ha'Brit Ha'Chadashah
al pi Mashiach
[New Covenant of the Messiah] Public Domain, 1927.
Online.
(Biblical Hebrew) |
Salkinson |
Isaac E. Salkinson (1820-1883) and
Christian D. Ginsberg (1831-1914),
Ha-Berit ha-Hadashah.
British Missionary Society, 1886.
Online. (19th c. Hebrew) |
Modern
Christian (English)
Versions of the Aramaic Bible (Peshitta)
Roth |
Andrew Gabriel Roth, Aramaic English New
Testament (Netzari Press, 2012). |
Alexander |
Victor Alexander, Aramaic New
Testament (2011)
Online. |
Bauscher, OANT |
Glenn David Bauscher,
The Original
Aramaic New Testament in Plain English with Psalms & Proverbs
(8th edition; 2013). |
Etheridge |
John W. Etheridge,
The
Peschito Syriac New Testament: Translated into English
(1849)
Online. |
Lamsa |
George Lamsa,
The Holy Bible from Ancient Eastern Manuscripts
(1957)
Online. |
Magiera |
Janet M. Magiera, Aramaic Peshitta New
Testament Translation: Messianic Version (Light of the Word
Ministry, 2009). |
Murdock |
James Murdock,
A Literal Translation from the Syriac Peshito Version (1852)
Online. |
Roth, AENT |
Andrew Gabriel Roth, Aramaic English New
Testament (Netzari Press, 2012). |
Younan |
Paul D. Younan, Peshitta
Aramaic/English Interlinear New Testament (2000).
Online. |
Modern Christian (English) Versions
AKJV |
Authorized King
James Version; reproduced by permission of Cambridge University
Press, the Crown's patentee in the UK. |
AMP |
The Amplified Bible,
The Lockman Foundation (2015). |
AMPC |
The Amplified Bible: Classic Edition,
The Lockman Foundation (1987). |
ASV |
American Standard Version
(1901; Public Domain) |
BBE |
C. K. Ogden,
The Bible in Basic English (1965). |
BHIB |
Bible Hub Interlinear Bible, Bible Hub (2004-2018).
Online. |
BLB |
Berean Literal
Bible, Bible Hub and Discovery Bible (2015).
Online. |
BRG |
Blue Red and Gold Letter Edition Bible,
BRG
Bible Ministries
(2012). |
CEB |
Common English
Bible,
Common English Bible (2011). |
CEV |
Contemporary English Version,
American Bible Society (1995). |
CSB |
Christian Standard Bible, Holman Bible Publishers (2017). (an update
of the HCSB) |
DHE |
Franz
Delitzsch (1813-1890), The Delitzsch Hebrew Gospels. Vine
of David, 2011. (Citation of "DHE" indicates the English
translation provided by the publisher.) |
DLNT |
Disciples Literal New Testament,
Michael J. Magill (2011). |
ECB |
exeGeses Companion Bible, exegesis inc. (nd).
Online. |
EMTV |
English Majority Text Version:
New Testament, trans.
Paul W. Esposito (2009).
Online. |
EHV |
Evangelical
Heritage Version: New Testament & Psalms, The Wartburg Project
(Lutheran) (2017). |
ERV |
Easy-to-Read
Version,
World Bible
Translation Center (2006). |
ESV |
The
English Standard
Version,
Crossway Bibles
(2001). |
EXB |
The Expanded
Bible, Thomas Nelson Inc. (2011). |
GNB/GNT/
TEV |
Good News Bible,
American Bible
Society (1992); also known as Good News Translation;
formerly known as
Today's English Version
(1976). |
Goodspeed |
Edgar J. Goodspeed, The New Testament: An
American Translation (1923).
Online. |
GW |
God's Word,
God's Word to the
Nations
(1995). |
HCSB |
Holman
Christian Standard Bible, Holman Bible Publishers (2003). |
ICB |
The Holy Bible, International
Children’s Bible, Thomas Nelson (1986, 1988, 1999, 2015). |
ISR |
The Scriptures, Institute for Scripture Research (1998). |
ISV |
The Holy Bible: International
Standard Version, ISV Foundation (1996-2012). |
JB |
Jerusalem Bible, Darton, Longman & Todd (1966). [Catholic] |
JUB |
Jubilee Bible,
Life Sentence Publishing (2000, 2001, 2010). |
KJ21 |
21st Century
King James Version, Deuel Enterprises, Inc. (1994). |
Knox |
Knox Bible,
Westminster Diocese (2012). |
LB |
Kenneth Taylor,
The Living Bible
(1971). |
LEB |
Lexham English Bible, Logos Bible
Software (2012). |
LITV |
J.P. Green, Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (1976).
Online. |
LSB |
Legacy Standard Bible.
Lockman Foundation (2021).
Online. |
LSV |
Literal Standard Version.
Covenant Press (2020).
Online. |
ME-WEB |
Messianic Edition of the World English Bible, Public Domain
(2008). See HNV. |
MEV |
The Holy Bible,
Modern English Version, Military Bible Association (2014). |
MLB |
Modern Language Bible: The New Berkeley
Version in Modern English, Zondervan Pub. House (1969). |
MNT, Moffatt |
James Moffatt,
A New Translation of the Bible,
Containing the Old and New Testaments, A New Translation (1926).
Online. |
MPNT |
Alfred Marshall,
NASB-NIV Parallel New Testament in Greek and English with Interlinear
Translation (Zondervan, 1986). |
Mounce-NT or MRINT |
Robert H. Mounce and William D. Mounce,
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament (2011). |
MSG |
The Message: The Bible in
Contemporary Language, E. H. Peterson (2002). |
NAB |
The New American Bible, USCCB
(1986). [Roman Catholic]
Online. |
NABRE |
The New American Bible, Revised Edition,
USCCB
(2010). [Roman Catholic] |
NASB |
New American Standard Bible, Lockman Foundation
(1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971,
1972, 1973, 1975, 1977; 1995; 2020). |
NASU |
New American Standard Bible: Updated Edition, Lockman Foundation
(1995). |
NCV |
New Century Version,
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(2005). |
NEB |
The New English Bible,
Oxford University Press
(1970).
Online. |
NET |
The NET Bible/New English Translation,
Biblical Studies
Press
(2005). |
NIRV |
New International Reader's Version,
Biblica,
Inc.
(1998, 2014). |
NIV |
The New International Version,
Biblica, Inc.
(1973, 1978, 1984, 2011). |
NJB |
New
Jerusalem Bible, Doubleday Religion (1999). [Roman Catholic]
Online. |
NKJV |
New King James Version,
Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(1982). |
NLT |
New Living Translation,
Tyndale House
Foundation
(1996, 2007). |
NLV |
New Life
Version,
Christian
Literature International
(2006). |
NMB |
New Matthew Bible, Ruth Magnusson
Davis (2016). |
NOG |
The Names of
God Bible, Baker Publishing Group (2011). |
NRSV |
New Revised Standard Version,
Division of
Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the United States of America
(1989). |
NTE |
Nicholas Thomas Wright, New Testament
for Everyone (2011). |
Phillips, PNT |
J. B. Phillips,
The New Testament in Modern English (1958).
Online. |
REB |
Revised English Bible,
Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press
(1989). |
REV |
Revised English
Version,
Spirit and Truth Fellowship International
(2013). Online. |
RGT |
Revised
Geneva Translation,
Five Talents Audio
(2019). |
RSV |
Revised Standard Version,
Division of
Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in
the United States of America
(1952, 1971). |
RSV-CE |
Revised Standard Version,
Catholic Edition
(1966, 2006). |
SLT |
Smith's Literal Translation of the
Bible, Julia E. Smith (1876).
Online. |
TEV |
See GNT above. |
TLB |
The
Living Bible,
Kenneth Taylor
(1971). |
TNIV |
Today's New International Version,
Biblica, Inc.
(2005). |
TPT |
The Passion Translation. BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
(2017). |
Voice |
The Voice Bible, Thomas Nelson,
Inc.; Ecclesia Bible Society (2012). |
WE |
Worldwide English New Testament,
SOON Educational Publications
(1969, 1971, 1996, 1998). |
WEB |
Michael Paul Johnson, World English Bible (1997). |
WMB |
Michael Paul Johnson, World Messianic Bible
(2014); aka Hebrew Names Version (HNV).
Online. |
WNT or Weymouth |
Richard Francis Weymouth,
Weymouth New Testament
(1903). Online. |
YLT |
Robert Young,
Young's Literal Translation (1898;
Public Domain). |
Modern Messianic Jewish (English) Versions
BSI-NT |
Ha'Brit Ha'Chadashah
[New Covenant]: Tirgum Chadash.
[New Translation]. Bible Society in Israel, 1991.
Online.
[Modern Hebrew] |
CJB |
David Stern,
Complete Jewish
Bible (1998). |
DHE |
Franz
Delitzsch (1813-1890), The Delitzsch Hebrew-English Gospels. Vine
of David, 2011. [English translation by the publisher] |
Einspruch |
Henry Einspruch,
The Good News According to Matthew. Lederer Publications, 1964. |
GNC |
Heinrich Walter Cassirer,
God's New Covenant: A New Testament
Translation (1989). |
HEB |
Hebrew-English Bible,
The Bible Society in Israel
(1996)
[Parallel Bible with both Tanakh and Besekh in Hebrew with NKJV
English text.] |
MJLT |
Kevin Geoffrey, Messianic Jewish Literal Translation, Perfect
Word Messianic Publishing (2018). |
MW |
Daniel Gruber,
The Messianic Writings
(2012). |
NMV |
Tov Rose,
New Messianic Version of the Bible
(2013). |
OJB |
Phillip Goble,
Orthodox Jewish Bible,
Artists for Israel
International
(2011).
Online. |
TLV |
Messianic Jewish Family Bible:
Tree of Life Version,
Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society (2014).
Online. |
WMB |
Michael Paul Johnson,
World Messianic Bible ( 2008).
[AKA Hebrew Names Version of
the World English Bible and World
English Bible: Messianic Edition.]
Online. |
Modern Non-Messianic Jewish (English) Versions
AST |
The Stone Edition of
the Tanach-ArtScroll Series, Mesorah Publications (1996) |
CTHB-R |
The Complete Tanach-Hebrew Bible with Rashi Commentary , Judaica Press (1993).
Online. [Hebrew with English translation by A.J. Rosenberg] |
JPS |
The Holy Scriptures According to the
Masoretic Text,
Jewish Publication Society of America (1917).
Online. |
TIB |
The Israel Bible,
Menorah Books (2018).
Online. |
KJB |
The Koren
Jerusalem Bible, Koren Publishers Jerusalem (1964). [Hebrew with
English translation] |
NJPS |
New Jewish Publication Society of America Version of the Tanakh
(1985). Online. |
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